幾咁

How Very …!

Level 4Sounds Like gei2 gam3

Use 幾咁 (gei2 gam3) before an adjective or stative verb to create an exclamation. It is the colloquial equivalent of the Mandarin '多麼' (duōme).

How It Works

1. Function and Meaning
幾咁 (gei2 gam3) functions as an exclamatory adverb. It translates to 'How...!' or 'So...!' in English. It is used to highlight that a quality or state is extreme or noteworthy. Unlike the standard 好 (hou2 - very), 幾咁 (gei2 gam3) carries a subjective emotional weight.

2. Usage in Sentences
It is frequently used in two ways:

  • Direct Exclamations: To comment on something right in front of you. These usually require a sentence-final particle like 呀 (aa3) or 呢 (ne1) to sound natural (e.g., 幾咁靚呀！ - How beautiful!).
  • Embedded Clauses: To express a feeling about a degree (e.g., 你唔知佢幾咁勤力 - You don't know how hard he works). In these clauses, linking verbs like 係 (hai6) or 有 (jau5) are sometimes used for emphasis before 幾咁, but they are entirely optional and often omitted in natural speech, especially in the common construction 唔知幾咁... (extremely).

3. Modifying Verbs
While most commonly used with adjectives, 幾咁 can also modify verbs expressing mental states, desires, or emotions, such as 想 (soeng2 - want), 憎 (zang1 - hate), or 覺得 (gok3 dak1 - feel). For example: 幾咁想見返佢 (How much [I] want to see them again).

4. Register and Tone
This pattern is strictly colloquial. In formal writing, you would use '多麼' or '何等'. Note the tone of 咁 (gam3) is the 3rd tone (mid level), which specifically marks degree, distinguishing it from the 2nd tone 噉 (gam2) which marks manner.

5. Comparison with similar words

  • 幾 (gei2) alone means 'quite' or 'fairly' (moderate degree).
  • 咁 (gam3) alone means 'so' (high degree).
  • 幾咁 (gei2 gam3) is the strongest, used for exclamatory emphasis.

Examples (4)

  1. 你唔知我幾咁辛苦。

    You don't know how hard I've been working.

    Word by Word: You not know I how so hard-bitter.

    Here, 幾咁 (gei2 gam3) is used in an embedded clause to emphasize the degree of 'hardship' (辛苦 - san1 fu2).

  2. 呢度幾咁靚呀！

    How beautiful this place is!

    Word by Word: This place how so beautiful [particle]!

    A classic direct exclamation. The sentence-final particle 呀 (aa3) is often added to soften the tone or add emotion.

  3. 我先知原來生活係幾咁空虛。

    I finally realized how empty life was.

    Word by Word: I first know originally life is how so empty-void.

    Used with the stative verb/adjective 'empty' (空虛 - hung1 heoi1) to show a realization of a high degree.

  4. 佢個人幾咁衰你都知啦。

    You already know how terrible a person he is.

    Word by Word: He that person how so bad you also know [particle].

    This shows that 幾咁 (gei2 gam3) can be used for negative qualities like 'bad/terrible' (衰 - seoi1), not just positive ones.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 幾咁 (gei2 gam3) to ask an information-seeking question.

    你幾咁高呀？
    你幾高呀？

    幾咁 (gei2 gam3) is mainly for exclamations. To ask 'How tall are you?' (seeking a measurement), use 幾 (gei2) or 幾多 (gei2 do1).

  • Confusing 幾咁 (gei2 gam3) with 幾多 (gei2 do1).

    呢度幾咁錢呀？
    呢度幾多錢呀？

    幾多 (gei2 do1) is used for quantity (how much/many), while 幾咁 (gei2 gam3) is used for quality or degree (how very).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

幾咁Level 4How Very …!

Learn This First

The pattern '幾咁' is an exclamatory degree marker used before adjectives. It combines the degree marker '幾' (quite/how) with '咁' (so) to create an intensified 'how very...!' meaning. Learners should already be familiar with basic degree markers and how adjectives function as stative verbs in Cantonese.

Words in This Pattern

几咁